After my first (and sucessful) attempt at making and using a Fire Bow, I have always had problems making a decent bearing that didnt need a gallon of vaseline to work. A fellow forumite was kind enough to send me an Antler to use, but alas I managed to burn right through it dispite using lube 
So I set about thinking of something I could make for next to nothing that would be useful, cheap and worth learning from.
I finally decided to make an aluminium bearing from recycled beer cans.
The set up I used was an old biscuit tin half filled with kitty litter, some charcoal from the dollar shop and a case iron pot also from the dollar shop. The cans I pinched from the recycle pile in the moerning.
Here we are, ready to get going. The birch bark tinder was also curtesy of the same forumite that sent the antler.
On our way, note the red of the iron bowl.
Cooling down in a cat food can
The Casting
Its actually burning but its hard to see
Crappy pic as I was blowing on it to highlight the ember
Note how clean the bearing end of the spindle is.
The spindle is Willow, the hearth board Cedar (I think, I got it from the dollar shop for another project that didnt pan out)
This was so easy to make fire it was a joke. It took about 20 seconds and the spindle was spinning so free in the bearing I thought I was trying to drill through a glass hearth board.
The holes (higgledipiggledi I know) were an attempt at wicking heat and to reduce weight (its just under 2 OZ about 50g) but it didnt even get warm its so efficient. The bearing recess was done with a 10mm bit and then champhered with a knife.
You could make obviously fine tune this (probably by casting the aluminium into a large spoon to get a desirable shape from the get go, and make a lanyard with a ladder weave (knots whatever its called) and carry it like a pendant. I guess you could get it down to about 1 OZ (28g) with a bit of patience. The neck cord would obviously be the cord you use for the bow.
So I set about thinking of something I could make for next to nothing that would be useful, cheap and worth learning from.I finally decided to make an aluminium bearing from recycled beer cans.
The set up I used was an old biscuit tin half filled with kitty litter, some charcoal from the dollar shop and a case iron pot also from the dollar shop. The cans I pinched from the recycle pile in the moerning.
Here we are, ready to get going. The birch bark tinder was also curtesy of the same forumite that sent the antler.
On our way, note the red of the iron bowl.
Cooling down in a cat food can
The Casting
Its actually burning but its hard to see
Crappy pic as I was blowing on it to highlight the ember
Note how clean the bearing end of the spindle is.
The spindle is Willow, the hearth board Cedar (I think, I got it from the dollar shop for another project that didnt pan out)
This was so easy to make fire it was a joke. It took about 20 seconds and the spindle was spinning so free in the bearing I thought I was trying to drill through a glass hearth board.
The holes (higgledipiggledi I know) were an attempt at wicking heat and to reduce weight (its just under 2 OZ about 50g) but it didnt even get warm its so efficient. The bearing recess was done with a 10mm bit and then champhered with a knife.
You could make obviously fine tune this (probably by casting the aluminium into a large spoon to get a desirable shape from the get go, and make a lanyard with a ladder weave (knots whatever its called) and carry it like a pendant. I guess you could get it down to about 1 OZ (28g) with a bit of patience. The neck cord would obviously be the cord you use for the bow.
I can never seem to make enough lube 
